The Fallujah Stakes

Updated April 26, 2004 12:01 a.m. ET

The latest news from the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah is that Marines will now conduct joint patrols with Iraqis, as a way to regain control of the city without a full-scale assault. Perhaps this will even work, but it's also likely our enemies will consider it a sign of weakness and ramp up their attacks there and elsewhere.

The judgment in Baghdad seems to be that the most important outcome at this moment is that the coalition be seen to regain control of that city of 200,000 in the Sunni Triangle. There's no doubt...